Whippet orders 12 Neoplans for FlixBus work

And Turners boosts FlixBus fleet

Whippet is investing in 12 MAN Neoplan P20s for use on the FlixBus network and Turners Coachways of Bristol adds more to the network.

The investment by the Cambridgeshire-based operator takes its total number of coaches to 14. Whippet’s new fleet will consist of MAN Neoplan P20s, tailored to meet the FlixBus specification. The modern vehicles will offer high levels of passenger comfort and advanced features to support drivers.

Commenting on the Neoplans, Roger Birch, Whippet General Manager, told B&CB: “The Neoplans are very good. There is a lot of thought that has gone into them, for the customers, engineers and drivers; it’s great for a manufacturer to do that. We ran two of them from new in the last eight to nine months and we have had little trouble with them, even though they run on high frequency services.”

Andreas Schorling, Managing Director of FlixBus, said: “Whippet has been a key cornerstone of our network since day one, so we are delighted to be expanding the network together with the historic and reputable operator.

“With over a hundred years of experience, we have found their innovative ideas; dynamic, agile approach; and high quality of service to be a perfect fit. The values and aspirations of the team at Whippet and Ascendal are totally aligned with ours, and we share a joint vision for transforming the coach industry.”

Tony Williamson, CEO Asia, Europe, Latin America at Ascendal Group, parent company of Whippet since 2018, said: “We have seen the determination and ambition of the FlixBus team; there is no doubt they have the vision and skill to become the leading express operator in the UK coach market. We are confident that through our partnership with FlixBus we will continue to grow and build on the success achieved to date.

“We are delighted to make such a substantial, long-term commitment to FlixBus, based on convincing commercial results and our strong, collaborative working relationship.

“Updating our full FlixBus fleet means improving our on-board customer experience, with a brand-new interior which offers an outstanding level of comfort.

“As ever, FlixBus has supported us in reviewing the range of manufacturers available without dictating which vehicle make or model to put on to the network. We are able to make a decision that works for us both, and this speaks to the true partnership we enjoy.”

Whippet has collaborated with FlixBus since the coach brand first launched in the UK two years ago. The operator now delivers key routes on the FlixBus network, including destinations such as London, Paris and its home-city of Cambridge.

Jointly, the two companies launched the first ever direct Manchester, Birmingham, Cambridge and London to Paris express service, which commenced in summer 2022.

Turners boosts FlixBus fleet

Turners Coachways is adding more vehicles to the FlixBus network from April 2023.

Bristol-based Turners joined FlixBus from its first launch into the UK market in 2020. Its total number of green coaches will increase to five later this year, as the brand ramps up its express services.

The FlixBus fleet operated by Turners will consist of four Van Hools and one Irizar, which will be entirely FlixBus branded. Turners has also invested in respacing the seating and upgrading the USB charging points across the fleet.

Andreas Schorling, Managing Director of FlixBus UK said: “Turners Coachways has a decades-long history of providing high quality coach travel in the UK, so it’s a pleasure to work with the team.

“We established a strong partnership in 2020, working together to serve the West Corridor. This an incredibly popular route, and passenger numbers are set to increase further as we reach peak travel season. Turners played an essential role when we first established our UK domestic network, so we’re proud to now enhance our collaboration.”

Turners Coachways Managing Director, Kevyn Jones, said: “FlixBus has an innovative approach to the UK coach market and we believe FlixBus is the future of green, long-distance coach travel. Having ridden the turbulence of the pandemic, our partnership is stronger than ever, which is why we have committed for the long-term by expanding our FlixBus fleet.”

 

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